Fire-escape



(No Model.) I S;h&Qo;sSheet 2.

BROWN. FIRE ESCAPE No. 417,902. Patented Dec. 24. 1889.

290m? YQWW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID JEROME BROWVN, OF SYRACUSE, NE\V YORK..

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,902, dated December24, 1889.

Application filed April 17, 1889- Serial No. 307,546- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID JEROME BROWN, of Syracuse, county of Onondaga,in the State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the escape attachedto the building and having the chute extended. Fig. 2 is an enlargedfront elevation of the building with part of chute extended. Fig 3 is abottom plan view of the case inclosing the chute. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the case, showing with broken line the chute folded withinthe case. Fig. 5 is a horizontal transverse section of the case on lineso :0, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of the case,showing the chute dotted in as folded, the rod-and-ring connection atthe edge of the chute, and the connect-ion of the lower front edge ofthe chute to catch the hook and ring on the stationary cable. Fig. 7 isa rear elevation of the chute extended, looking out from the window andshowing the rod-and-ring connection of the edges of the chute holdingthe edges close to the build ing. Fig. 8 is a detail of the hookingmechanism to lock the lower end of the chute when lowered.

My invention relates to that class of lireescapes in which a tubular bagor chute is employed in connection With a supportingcable.

My object is to provide a bag fire-escape which, when not in use, isinclosed within a box or case above the top of the window, said boxbeing provided with a drop-bottom supported by a catch, and the bottomof the box being also provided with guide-rods extending down on eachside of the Window substantially to the bottom thereof, and the end ofthe bag being provided with rings or eyes on either side fitting overthe guiderods, so that when the bag is lowered the upper end thereofwill inclose the whole window, so that a person standing at the windowcannot see the ground, but can only look into the chute, and a cableconnected at the upper end to the front of the box and extending off atany desired angle to a post or other object to which the lower end ofthe cable is secured,

said cable standing directly away from the building or closely alongsideof it, or at any intermediate point, and said chute being provided ontop at its lower end with a ring or eye fitting over the cable, whichring or eye, when the bottom of the box is opened, guides the bag orchute down the cable to the post, means being provided for catching thelower end of the chute at the bottom of the cable andholdin g it.

. I My invention consists in the several novel features of constructionand operation hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in theclaims annexed.

It is constructed as follows: A is the front of the building, in which 11 are the windows. Above the top of a convenient window I secure the boxor case B, of any desired form, provided with a drop-bottom 2, hinged tothe back of the case and provided with a catch 3 to hold it up, and 4 4are guide-rods, mounted one on either side of the window and secured asto their lower ends to the building or casing, and as to their upperends to the case B, or to the building within the case. The chute 0,consisting of a tubular bag open at both ends, has its npper end mountedor otherwise secured within the case, and also provided with rings oreyes, which fit over the rod t on each side, and 5 is a cable connectedat its upper end to the case B, and at its lower end to a post or othersuitable object 6 in a permanent manner and substantially taut. Thelower end of the chute is provided with a ring or eye 7, fitting overthe cable loosely, and this ring or eye guides the lower end of thechute as it slides down the cable. \Vhen not in use, the chute isbunched or folded up within the case, as shown in the drawings by theirregular lines, and when the cord or rod 9 is pulled in far enough torelease the catch 3 the whole chute will drop out of the case, the upperend on the sides sliding down the rod 4 to the bottom of the window, andthe lower end of the chute will slide down the cable to or adjacent tothe post, where it can be secured in any ordinary manner; or any kind ofa snap-catch can be used to catch it automatically at thepost oradjacent thereto. It will thus be observed that the chute will extendfrom the window down adjacent to the cable, and that the lower end of itwill be open,

and that the upper end will cover the whole front of the Window, or theWhole of the WindoW-opening, so that a person standing at that windowcannot look down to the ground and Will not become dizzy or scared, butWill quietly step into the chute and slide down unharmed,

that I claim is The combination, with the cable permanently secured tothe building and to a suitable lower support, of u bag-chute adapted tobe folded within a stationary case upon the building, a stationary caseupon the building and guide-rods contiguous thereto upon which the upperend of the case is mounted and a 15 hinged drop-bottom to the case andmeans for locking and unlocking it, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day ofFebruary, 1889.

DAVID JEROME BRO\VN. In presence of H. P. DENIsoN, F. '1. DENIsoN.

